Hydra Chill, Hydra-Chill, Water Filling Stations, Water Dispenser, Water Bottle Refilling


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Latest News from HydraChill

HydraChill at Northumbria University

Autumn 2010

Following the success of the Northumbrian Water sponsored 2-in-1 HydraChill unit at the Discovery museum, Newcastle, Northumbria University took delivery of their first customised HydraChill machine in autumn 2010.

The machine’s commissioning was designed to coincide with the opening of Northumbria University’s spectacular new £30m Sports Central complex, one of the finest fitness and training facilities in the UK.

Taking pride of place in the second floor fitness centre the HydraChill machine has been customised to NU graphic requirements and proved an immediate hit with members. Chilled Water has been configured for free use with attractive branded reusable Northumbria University water bottles available from the machine at £2 each.

Such has been the popularity of the unit that levels of use have been unprecedented. Accrued bottle revenue offered such encouraging payback that a second HydraChill machine was commissioned on the Ground Floor less than six months after the purchase of the first.

NU’s Assistant Director of Property Services Andrew Short commented “We are delighted with the HydraChill machine which is proving hugely popular with our students. Uniquely the machine allows our users free access to water and the option to buy a reusable bottle which ultimately saves both them and the University money. This option also provides us with a pay-back formula which has enabled us to purchase a second machine and now consider four others for placement elsewhere on campus”.

For a video of the HydraChill machine in action at Sports Central click here.

HydraChill Launches in London

Oct 2009

London's first chilled water refill stations will be set up this month following discussions with Thames Water, Greater London Authority and Transport for London.

In the first trial, HydraChill machines will be installed at Hammersmith bus station and at the Tower Bridge museum. The machines can fill bottles of up to 500ml with chilled water for a 20p charge. All proceeds will be donated to Waste Watch, a charity working to change the way people use natural resources.

If the trial proves successful then the hope is expressed that the scheme will be extended to underground, bus and railway stations across London and the south-east before the 2012 Olympics.

HydraChill at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle

August 2009

Click to read full article
in The Journal

A unique trial of a machine which could cut the environmental cost of bottled water is taking place in Newcastle. AMY HUNT reports

FRESH, chilled water that doesn’t cost the earth sounds like a simple concept. But there’s a huge market in bottled mineral water, which can have huge environmental costs. This water has to be bottled, packed and transported, before being drunk and the bottle thrown in the bin. Now Northumbrian Water is trying out a machine which could change our attitude to bottled water forever. It has installed the HydraChill refilling station at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum to see how it works.

The idea is simple. Customers buy an empty sports-cap bottle from the dispenser. They then fill it with fresh, chilled mains water from a spout on the machine as many times as they wish.

Of course, if you already have your own bottle, you can fill that up, so you don’t need to buy a whole new bottle of water, saving you cash and preventing waste. And if you choose to buy a bottle, you can take it away with you and carry on re-using it.

The Hydrachill is the first of its kind in the North East and thought to be the only one in public use in the UK.

Bosses at the water group hope, if the trial is successful, to create a network of Hydrachills around the North East and beyond, in places such as shopping centres, stations and leisure centres.

Northumbrian Water communications manager Alistair Baker said: “If this trial is successful, we will be looking to promote and install them regionwide. We’re trialling it in a museum, but it could be used in any public place.

“Some schools, for example, already have chillers, but they don’t necessarily have the bottles available. This is a simple, modern and appealing way of getting a regular, easily available supply of tap water that people can use and enjoy when they are not near a tap. It gets rid of all the issues of transporting bottled water, recycling plastic bottles, wasting energy and saving carbon emissions. All the machine needs is to be near the mains water supply and an electricity socket. It’s very environmentally sound.”

Northumbrian Water head of corporate responsibility Louise Hunter said: “We’re really excited about the Hydrachill unit. As well as keeping youngsters hydrated, it helps them to protect the environment by using a refillable bottle.”

Louise Hunter from Northumbrian Water
Photo: Louise Hunter, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Northumbrian Water at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle

HydraChill at Discovery Museum
Photo: HydraChill 2-in-1 machine at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle.

Hydrachill launched at NIAC and UWIC

May 2009

The Cardiff School of Sport in UWIC has joined forces with HYDRACHILL to improve public access to drinking water and at the same time reduce the University's waste.

Working with UK water companies under the Water for Health initiative HYDRACHILL provide Water Refilling Stations that deliver 'on the go' users with public access to fresh chilled mains water. By combining the use of a reusable drink bottle and chilled mains water the service provides a convenient economic alternative to buying bottled water, helping reduce the mountain of used plastic drink cups and bottles.

HYDRACHILL has developed two versions of its water cooler to help make this happen. The 2-in-1 water cooler machine can separately deliver a spill proof reusable plastic drinking bottle and 500ml of chilled water from the same unit.

The UWIC machines and bottles carry the branding of the university and the Cardiff School of Sport and are sited in the National Indoor Athletics Centre and one of the University's Fitness Centres.

Dave Cobner, Dean of The Cardiff School of Sport, welcomed the initiative "I hope it will have a positive effect on the University's strategy to reduce the amount of recyclable waste produced and contribute to the reduction of it's carbon footprint".

"Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is delighted to see these coolers in action. The drinking water we provide is among the best in the world and we are pleased to be helping to make it more readily available. We also support the sustainability aspect of these machines" said Fiona Jehu, Sustainability Co-ordinator, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.

Maria Andrews from Waste Watch commented "The water-refilling station is a 21st century solution to hydrate people on the go. With the benefits of being able to refill reusable drinking bottles it helps reduce a student's carbon footprint, saves them money and also reduces waste".

Nick Davis, Director of HYDRACHILL, outlined that even though the project was still in the pilot study stage, support and interest was evident from other universities, transport hubs, hospitals and public facility centres. "Each of our pilot units will be positioned to trial and inform in a particular environment. We are confident that HYDRACHILL's combination of affordability, convenience and environmental sustainability will prove a success in UWIC's Cyncoed campus and engender interest and support from university environments throughout the United Kingdom".

Photo: Dave Cobner, Dean of Sport at UWIC

Students using Hydrachill water refilling station

Photo: Students using the HydraChill water refilling station at Wales' National Indoor Athletics Centre, UWIC Cardiff.